


Breath(e)

by Ena2705



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Implied Character Death, lung condition
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-12
Updated: 2019-07-12
Packaged: 2020-06-26 21:25:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19776733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ena2705/pseuds/Ena2705
Summary: “It’s called emphysema. It’s where the alveoli in the lungs are damaged and burst. The most common cause is smoking, but I guess being resuscitated and being exposed to anthrax may also do the trick.”





	Breath(e)

It started out with a small, persistent cough. It didn’t bother his work too much so he ignored the problem, assuming it was just a cold or minor chest infection and would go away shortly. But then his teammates started to get annoyed as the coughing grew harsher. They could hardly finish a sentence before they were interrupted by the awful hacking noise. So they eventually cornered him on the jet, telling him that Garcia had already booked him a doctor’s appointment and he has to go get the cough checked out else he wouldn’t be allowed on field duty any more. 

He begrudgingly went to the appointment. 

“The doctor said it is bronchitis. He gave me medication and said I’m clear to work.” His boss nodded, accepting the answer. But the medication didn’t work, and the coughing got worse. And it was eventually followed by a shortness of breath. Whereas he would usually take the stairs, he found himself opting to ride the elevator. He made another appointment with his doctor, this time on his own, because even _he_ had concerns now. 

No cure. 

Oh. 

He took the next few days off work, filling them with endless research into the condition. He picks up his first inhaler from the chemist, thinking that of all the things he could do perfectly, breathing wasn’t one of them. He chuckled dryly to himself; it turned into a cough. 

He will soon be unfit to fly. Combined with his newly acquired inability to exercise without becoming out of breath, he thinks that means his time with the BAU has come to an end. As he goes to hand in his letter of resignation, his boss shoots him a questioning look. 

“It’s called emphysema. It’s where the alveoli in the lungs are damaged and burst. The most common cause is smoking, but I guess being resuscitated and being exposed to anthrax may also do the trick.”

Hotch tries to argue; says that it’s okay if he wants to work from the office like their technical analyst. He says he doesn’t want to be a paper pusher. He may have to go in hospice care soon, with the rate it is progressing, and he has already signed a DNR, hell, the R was what got him here in the first place. His boss eventually accepts his resignation, and isn’t proud enough to deny the tears falling down his face. They’re family, after all. And their youngest and brightest is dying. And it’s the job’s fault. 

As he presses the button on the elevator one final time, a cough rakes his body.


End file.
